Shadowfell

Fifteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured, but when she sets out for Shadowfell, a training ground for a rebel group, she meets a mysterious soldier and the Good Folk, who tell her that she, alone, can save Alban.

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Recommendable, unique, moving and utterly, utterly a great novel. Originally I detested it as a rip-off of The Lord of the Rings (entirely unrelated with watching the Peter Jackson adaptations just a day before...) and then, seeing Shadowfell and its sequel Raven Flight at the library approximately a year afterwards, I decided to pick them up again. Trust me, as much as this may seem an overwrought panegyric this was an outstanding work.

A fantasy adventure, with magical practitioner's being subjected to a witch hunt. The protagonist must make her way to a rebel group before she is captured and killed.

KelseyPaige
Nov 12, 2012

Classic Juliet Marillier. :) This book has been likened to her first novel, Daughter of the Forest, except less adult, and I must say I agree that the language is similar (in a good way). Shadowfell, however, brings its own elements to the table. It is more suited to the YA fantasy jurisdiction, is not nearly as grim, and features fey creatures more frequently--which I'm excited about. There is the promise of a lot of good-versus-evil hashing out-ery and magical epicness. Overall, this series and I are looking to become good friends. This first installment left a little to be desired, simply in that it felt like an introduction: there's still a lot I don't know about the characters, and the primary antagonist has yet to make an appearance. So I hesitate to be too gushing in my praise just yet...but it was a very good start.

I must say, seems to be more simple than most of Marillier's works. The language is less intricate as well. As for the plot, nothing fancy. The usual: Neryn is recently orphaned, having lost her drunken father to the King's Enforcers in a fire; she is saved by Flint, the oppressive King's general who is a spy; and journeys to the legendary realm Shadowfall to join the rebel forces against the King, receiving help from the Good Folk along the way. A hint of romance towards the end of the novel, as usual.